Upload Season 2 Early Review: Robbie Amell's comedy drama returns with bigger laughs but misses the mark

Upload Season 2

Upload Season 2 Cast: Robbie Amell, Andy Allo, Allegra Edwards

Upload Season 2 Director: Greg Daniels

Upload Season 2 Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime

The concept of being able to transport ourselves into a digital realm where our slightest want may be written or gestured into reality, while our frail human bodies are left behind in meatspace, has existed since at least the 1930s. Nearly a century later, we're still years away from the amazing processing power that would enable truly immersive VR, much alone transplanting fully functional human consciousness onto a server. However, Upload understands that the future of our virtual worlds will be dictated not by what is feasible, but by what is lucrative.

For a quick recap, Upload finished on a cliffhanger last season, and it was a brilliant one. When Nathan (Robbie Amell) ran out of gigs and couldn't reply "I love you" to Nora (Andy Allo), he had them refilled by his fiancée, Ingrid (Allegra Edwards), only to break the awful news to him. She was uploaded into Lake View. She sacrificed herself because she was frightened of losing him and wanted to express how much he mattered to him. Upload, now in its second season, continues its genre-bending and, at times, hilarious satire with unexpected consequences. 

Meanwhile, the first episode opens with Nora and Nathan splitting up. Nora now lives in a Poconos commune with her new friend, Matteo (Paulo Costanzo, a wonderful fit for any Greg Daniels comedy).Unfortunately, Nora now has to live without technology and in a land where they need to cultivate and prepare their own food, as well as hack large computer businesses such as Freeyond, which dominate the digital world. She attends seminars that emphasise communication concepts such as the envelope. The show then jumps forward a few weeks, and the sceptical Nora accepts the whole experience. Luke (Kevin Brigley from Siren) continues on a quest to make Nathan his closest buddy. Aleesha (Zainab Johnson) manages to get a promotion by accident. Oh and Nathan also hacks into Nora's social media accounts in order to track her down. He'd best hurry, since Matteo is making advances on Nora as they're digging for potatoes with their bare hands.

The first season failed to strike a balance, often shifting between a delightful romantic comedy, a futuristic journey, and a pathetic murder mystery concerning who murdered Nathan. Season two, however, isn't perfect, but Daniels and the writers are now navigating Upload's first episode with a (mostly) common thread, linking them together and bringing them into a hypothetical third season. First episode’s whimsical sci-fi concepts are also used in dark ways, which is where the pleasure is. First, Ingrid, Nathan's demanding mistress, uploads herself into Lakeview. This goofy narration strangely suits the tone of the series, and even more so with Ingrid's attitude, who says lines like "Please adjust the temperature in our room for a Mediterranean summer evening" with complete confidence. Her whole trajectory is built on ill-conceived, unsustainable goals. Yes, she is a little nasty, and the presentation of Nathan, Nora, and Ingrid's love triangle is tedious. However, a garish character is not always transformed into a light climax.

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However, as per me, Upload Season 2, episode 1 is lackluster, but not doomed. The series’ cast  wonderfully funny and nuanced supporting turns make this season stand out.  Even though Ingrid's narrative is perplexing, Edwards' performance raises the standard for everyone else. And, as dull as its plot mysteries are, it's difficult not to be left with a need for closure. I felt its initial experimentation with a wider picture was excellent in its cosier first season, when it correctly bowed to Nathan and Nora's growing relationship. Season 2 now prioritises its more serious narrative.